2013 Shelby GT500 brakes, are they bad?

[13 Cobra Toy]

If they had put a more track oriented pad on the car, they would have thousands of complaints about brake noise and dust.

A car that is capable of these track times in bone stock form, technically needs at least a track pad, if not a full race pad to take full advantage of the awesome 15" Brembos the car came with.

An OE pad is always a compromise of some sort.

When I first started tracking with my 04 Cobra I knew the first day that the OE street pads were not the optimal choice for track duty.

On slower performance cars a typical performance OE stock street pad will not be challenged as much and their short comings will not be as apparent as a street pad on a 2013 GT500.
Lets face it, not many performance cars out there are going to be expecting this much from their brakes.

If you are tracking the car save the OE pads for street driving and use a dedicated track pad for the HPDE work.
Those of us that have done more that a few track events already know this and it is considered standard operating procedure.

It's only an issue for the magazine guys because they can't change pads.

FACT: A really good street pad that is quiet and has good cold grip is never going to be as effective as a track specific pad or race pad.

100% correct !! If you don't smoke a factory street pad your driving to slow on the track. Late braking = faster lap times.

can anyone suggest a good aftermarket pad that fits our brakes?

F

There aren't any aftermarket front pads available at this time.
The factory pads are on backorder from Ford. When I get my hands on a set I have a few companies that will try and match them up with some racing pads.

 

[Forgoten214]

Why does the ZL1 have better brakes? Those are street brakes too though right?

 

[Chris!]

Why does the ZL1 have better brakes? Those are street brakes too though right?

The ZL1 doesn't have better brakes. 1 magazine article said they experienced some fade. The rest of them praised the GT500s brakes.

Stop reading magazines and ask people that actually own and drive them.

 

[Forgoten214]

That's why I'm here friend.

The ZL1 doesn't have better brakes. 1 magazine article said they experienced some fade. The rest of them praised the GT500s brakes.

Stop reading magazines and ask people that actually own and drive them.

 

[Chris!]

Why does the ZL1 have better brakes? Those are street brakes too though right?

I know- but your original question was answered multiple times yet you just asked again ? Just seems odd.

Now that you know that the Gt500 brakes work great and that was an isolated issue have you ordered your gt500 yet?

 

[Forgoten214]

9 month waiting list locally.

I know- but your original question was answered multiple times yet you just asked again ? Just seems odd.

Now that you know that the Gt500 brakes work great and that was an isolated issue have you ordered your gt500 yet?

 

[Chris!]

9 month waiting list locally.

9 month waiting list?

Never heard of such a thing.

You don't have to wait- there are currently 135 of them for sale on lots across the country. Start making phone calls

 

[Forgoten214]

Yes sir, they can't get any new orders for 9 months is what they told me. Atleast for a brand new factory custom ordered one. I guess I could settle for a pre configured dealer demo somewhere if I found one. But I imagine the mark up would be pretty high.

9 month waiting list?

Never heard of such a thing.

You don't have to wait- there are currently 135 of them for sale on lots across the country. Start making phone calls

 

[Chris!]

Man o man. There are alot of threads in this section that will help you. I would go through and read many of them

To save you some of that reading - there is no 9 month wait as there are many available allocations for you to order what you want. The 135 cars that are available are not dealer DEMOs.

What options and colors are you trying to obtain?

 

[Steveespo]

Does anyone have a cross reference for pad shape on the fronts so I can get Carbotech, Hawk, Pagid or Performance friction race compound pads?
Thanks
Steve

 

[usmotox]

I was at a motocross practice at a complex that has a drag strip and a road coarse also and was privy to some testing and since I new the track people got to go over and chat and i heard a really good statement that the car was a handful and the brakes seemed to give up quicker than the ZL1 then he said but I guess I should back off that statement because I am getting off the corner before a lot harder and into the next corner way harder/faster so maybe thats why they seem to give up quicker I am using them much harder than the ZL1???

 

[thePill]

Why does the ZL1 have better brakes? Those are street brakes too though right?

Both the GT500 and ZL1 use similar braking systems from the same company. The GT500's rear calipers are unique to the solid axle but both vehicles share almost identical nomenclature that was developed by Brembo. Both vehicles come stock with DOT3 brake fluid and this could be an issue.

An OEM brake cooling kit would help the GT500 and brake cooling ducts are pretty much required in the ZL1. Because of the massive curb weight of the ZL1, the front braking system (and Goodyears) are actually taxed pretty good from the weight... Believe this or not, there is way more weight in the nose of the ZL1 than the GT500. The nose of the ZL1 is almost 200lbs heavier than the 500's and it affects it...

...and they called us "nose heavy"...

However, the 500's speed advantage on entry puts its braking (and tires) under just as much stress, maybe more, on the front. From a handful of reviews posted, the GT500 is around 10mph faster on turn in than the ZL1. Each MPH faster than the ZL1 will amplify the stress on the brakes. After some hot laps at Laguna Seca by Randy Pobst, he felt the GT500's brakes were not as strong as the first few laps... If Randy Pobst said he was losing pedal then I have complete faith that is exactly what happened.

What is more likely is that the brake fluid got air in the line. This is a direct result of both manufactures NOT offering DOT5.1 brake fluid off the line and the owner tracking their "track ready" vehicle with improper brake fluid.

Ford decided to honor the drag racing crowd and stick with smaller rotors in the rear. First of all, there is only so much a solid axle's disc can do. Going larger may have not made a difference worth visiting on the owner.

Secondly....... It allowed drag racers to go down to a 15 inch wheel. The ZL1 can only go down to an 18 or something until you need to swap brakes.

Randy's brakes faded but he still defeated the ZL1 with the master of ALL.

 

[dodfox]

I just went into my local Ford dealer's parts department to get a quote on new brake pads front and rear for my 2013. Discovered that Ford changed the front brakes on the GT500 on 30 Apr '12. Most of the magazine testing was done with these earliest vehicles (those built prior to 30 Apr '12) with the 'older' '07 GT500 front brake pads (7R3Z*2001*A) with 4-piston calipers (7R3Z*2B120*A and 7R3Z*2B121*A) and 14" rotors (7R3Z*1125*A) installed! The 'newer' front brakes are the 15" rotors (DR3Z*1125*A) and newer front brake pads (DR3Z*2001*D - $363.06 list) and the 6-piston Brembo calipers (DR3Z*2B121*A). The older front brakes may be the reason some drivers experience brake fade and the newer ones do not. (Needs some further looking into). ALL 2013s (and '14s) have the same Spindles, however. There was also a rear brake pad (CR3Z*2200*D) change on 21 Dec '12. These 'newer' rear brake pads (DR3Z*2200*B - (approx.) $96.61 list), are found on only the last approx. 250 of the 2013 GT500s, and so far, all of the 2014s. The rear pads are listed as 'invalid part number' probably because they are not yet available through parts, or all they have are presently going to Flat Rock.
dodfox1

 

[13 Cobra Toy]

I just went into my local Ford dealer's parts department to get a quote on new brake pads front and rear for my 2013. Discovered that Ford changed front brake pads on 30 April '12. Part number DR3Z*2001*D. Also went to 15" rotors on the same date. Prior to that date, 2013 GT500s had '07 GT500 pads and 14" rotors. Needs further investigation. They ALSO changed rear pads on 21 December '12. The part number is DR3Z*2200*B. The part is listed as 'invalid part number,' but it's possible they are using all they have at Flat Rock, and just haven't gotten around to stocking them, yet. The change was made 'after' Motor Trends testing, so it's possible the car they had had the 'old' '07 GT500 brake pads and 14" rotors.

The 15" brake specs were released way before 4-12. Part number changes can be for vender and or improvement changes to parts. It is very expensive for a manufacture to add part numbers.
MT had the 15" brake setup on the car they tested.

 

[Kapy]

Man when is this thread going to stop.

If you don't like the brakes, upgrade them.

 

[usmotox]

The GT500 gets going out of the corner way hard and gets to the next corner going crazy fast so one off drivers reviewing it say the brakes suck simple lol I like them and they work load just fine for me

 

[Wildman113]

Both the GT500 and ZL1 use similar braking systems from the same company. The GT500's rear calipers are unique to the solid axle but both vehicles share almost identical nomenclature that was developed by Brembo. Both vehicles come stock with DOT3 brake fluid and this could be an issue.

An OEM brake cooling kit would help the GT500 and brake cooling ducts are pretty much required in the ZL1. Because of the massive curb weight of the ZL1, the front braking system (and Goodyears) are actually taxed pretty good from the weight... Believe this or not, there is way more weight in the nose of the ZL1 than the GT500. The nose of the ZL1 is almost 200lbs heavier than the 500's and it affects it...

...and they called us "nose heavy"...

However, the 500's speed advantage on entry puts its braking (and tires) under just as much stress, maybe more, on the front. From a handful of reviews posted, the GT500 is around 10mph faster on turn in than the ZL1. Each MPH faster than the ZL1 will amplify the stress on the brakes. After some hot laps at Laguna Seca by Randy Pobst, he felt the GT500's brakes were not as strong as the first few laps... If Randy Pobst said he was losing pedal then I have complete faith that is exactly what happened.

What is more likely is that the brake fluid got air in the line. This is a direct result of both manufactures NOT offering DOT5.1 brake fluid off the line and the owner tracking their "track ready" vehicle with improper brake fluid.

Ford decided to honor the drag racing crowd and stick with smaller rotors in the rear. First of all, there is only so much a solid axle's disc can do. Going larger may have not made a difference worth visiting on the owner.

Secondly....... It allowed drag racers to go down to a 15 inch wheel. The ZL1 can only go down to an 18 or something until you need to swap brakes.

Randy's brakes faded but he still defeated the ZL1 with the master of ALL.

It has nothing to do with being a solid axle. The rear single piston cast iron calipers are the same ones Ford has been using since 1994, they only upgraded the rotor size. The problem is that the rear axle is a c-clip design, which means SVT couldn't use a fixed Brembo caliper, like the ZL1 uses.

This prevents the rear brakes from being able to contribute as much stopping power and heat dissipation as the 4 piston Brembos that the ZL1 uses out back. Therefore, the front brakes have to do the majority of the stopping and heat dissipation. On a vehicle that weighs almost 4,000lbs and has 662HP, thats put a lot of stress on the front brakes, which is why the GT500 has brake fade issues, while the Camaro does not, even though both use massive rotors with 6 piston Brembos up front.

 

[Chris!]

This prevents the rear brakes from being able to contribute as much stopping power and heat dissipation as the 4 piston Brembos that the ZL1 uses out back. Therefore, the front brakes have to do the majority of the stopping and heat dissipation. On a vehicle that weighs almost 4,000lbs and has 662HP, thats put a lot of stress on the front brakes, which is why the GT500 has brake fade issues, while the Camaro does not, even though both use massive rotors with 6 piston Brembos up front.

Not sure where you have been- but other than 2 mag drivers. There has been a very very small amount of brake complaints.
In fact- many people, real racers from this site have raved about the brakes after a simple fluid change.

That being said there aren't "brake fade issues" that you speak of that are wide spread.

There are multiple- and I mean multiple threads on this.

 

[Farmer-Ted]

The rear single piston cast iron calipers are the same ones Ford has been using since 1994, they only upgraded the rotor size.

They may look similar but are substantially larger than 1994 to 04 rear calipers. Don't know if the 2005 and newer are the same as the 13 GT500 though.

 

[Lethalchem]

Ford decided to honor the drag racing crowd and stick with smaller rotors in the rear. First of all, there is only so much a solid axle's disc can do. Going larger may have not made a difference worth visiting on the owner.

Secondly....... It allowed drag racers to go down to a 15 inch wheel. The ZL1 can only go down to an 18 or something until you need to swap brakes.

I thought we had to do a rear brake swap to get down to a decent drag tire size?